Loose-leaf-post binder



153; Q, PAPER FILE$ Bi'NUEHii Aug. 25,. 1925.

, 1,551,071" E. A. TRUSSELL l I I LOOSE LEAF POST BINDER Filed Nov. 21, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 MENTOR EMORY A. TRUSSELL.

BY HIS HTTORNE Y5 Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES EMORY A. TRUSSELL, 0F RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK.

LOOSE-LEAF-IOST BINDER.

Application filed November 21, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMORY A. TRUssELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond Hill, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose- Leaf-Post Binders.

My invention relates to loose leaf post binders in which papers are filed on posts carried by the back and clamped down under the cover by devices mounted on the cover adapted to grip the posts projecting through the cover.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved, automatic, quick-acting cheap and simple construction of this type of binder.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my binder showing the cover detached;

Figs. 2 and 3 are plans of the locking element mounted on the cover, the cover being in locking position, Fig. 3 showing the locking element without the clutch;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a locklng element;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my binder with the cover in looking position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a locking element with the post slightly inserted;

Fig. 7 is a similar view with the post half inserted;

Fig. 8 is a plan view corresponding to Fi 7.

Tn the past there have been temporary post binders for current files adapted to allow quick removal of the cover for the purpose of changing the sheets. The type commonly consists of a back in which are mounted two inch sectional or solid posts, and a cover either fitting down on the posts or adapted to receive the posts through notches in its edge. The cover is secured by catches cooperating with the posts to maintain pressure on the papers in the binder. My invention provides a binder of 1 this general type which looks automatically and is so eflicient and cheap that it can be used as a transfer binder as well as a temporary binder, thus obviating any changing of the files.

I construct each locking element preferably out of two pieces-a slide 6 and a swinging clutch 7 mounted on the slide 6. The slide 6-is movably held to the cover by means Serial No. 516,652.

of screws or rivets 88 passing through slots 9-9 in the slide 6. Both the slide 6 and the swinging clutch 7 pivoted thereon have a notch in their sides. The inter-action of the posts 1, slides 6 and clutches 7 obtained by the sliding method of mounting the locking element gives a new and entirely desirable locking device for post binders.

The slide 6 has a deep notch 20 on one side, at the inner end of which a transverse recess 11 is formed of suflicient size to constitute a catch which can engage the post 1 and prevent it from direct withdrawal, as shown in Fig. 2. At the end of the slide towards the recess 11 is formed athumb piece 10. The side 12 of the notch 20 opposite the recess 11 is curved at the bottom so that if a post 1 located in recess 11 is pushed into the notch it will ride into the recess 11, and if the side 12 is pushed against the post, as by moving the slide 6 lengthwise, the side 12 will once more act as a cam and the post 12 will ride out of the notch.

The clutch 7 lies over the top of slide 6 and is pivoted to the latter, as by ears 17 extending into notches 13 in the edges of the plate back of the side 12 of the notch 20. The clutch 7 is notched at 18 forming two jaws and the piece is bowed up, from its hinge joint, over the notch 20 of the slide the free end of the clutch 7 resting on the slide between the thumb piece and the notch 20 when there is no post in the locking element. In the hump of the clutch 7, a little distance above the slide 6 is a notch 15.

of the slide 6 back of the hinging point of the clutch presses on the lower edge of this notch 15, thus pressing the whole clutch down towards the slide. This spring also acts as a stop to limit the arc of swing of the clutch to a dead center not quite reached when the clutch is swung up and away from the thumb piece 10 and the slide. This stop action is obtained by means of the spring end meeting the edge of hole 15 in the hump of the clutch when the clutch is swung open by being raised.

The notch 18 of the clutch is so located that when there is no post in the locking element the notch 18 is not quite in register with the notch 20 in the slide, but is slightly offset in the direction of thumb piece 10. However when the clutch is swung up the notch 18 comes in register with the notch 20 Spring 14:, which may be formed from part of the slide. The edge 19 of the notch in the clutch overhangs the side 12 of the notch 20 and is not only bent slightly upward (Fig. 4), but is also cut flaring, as seen in Figs. 2 and 8, so as to form in conjunction with the side 16 of the notch in the slide, a recess partly of a width greater than that of a post. Furthermore, this upwardly sloping lip on the edge 19 of the notch 18 does not extend to the bottom of the notch but stops short thereof (Fig. 1) so as to slightly surround the post when the same is in looking position (Fig. 2) and yet offer a smooth surface to the post when the clutch is swung up so that the post can slide out.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

When it is desired to attach the cover it is placed in the position shown in Fig. 1 and shoved toward the posts. The notches 5 in the cover will guide the posts between. the upturned edge of the notch 18 in the clutch and the side of notch 20 in the slide opposite thereto, and if the push on the cover is continued the posts will push the two slides 6 towards the center of the cover by reason of pressure on the side 16 of the notch 20 and at the same time will swing the clutch up and out by virtue of pressure on the upturned edge 19. The locking ele ment and post have now changed from the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 6 to that shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and the side 12 of the notch in each slide is now bearing on its post forcing the two slides apart once more. This new movement is assisted by the springs 14 pressing on the clutches 7 and the posts come into the recesses 11 as shown in Fig. 2. The side 16 thus acts both as a cam on the incoming post and also as a keeper for the post when in locking position. In this locking position the upwardly sloping lip on the edge 19 of the notch 18 in the clutch keeps the post from moving out of the recess 11 into the base of the notch 20 in the slide. Thus my cover can be attached and locked into position by simply being pushed onto the posts. The point of contact of the clutch with the post is always above the point of contact of the slide and post. My device obviates the necessity for posts being sized and spaced with machine-tool accuracy because of the adjustability arising from my method of mounting the locking elements.

To detach my cover it is simply necessary to grasp the two thumb pieces 10 and pull them together. This forces the posts against the upraised edges of the notches 18 in the clutches 7, swinging the clutches up on their pivots, so that the posts once more come into contact with the sides 12 of the notches 17 in the slide (Figs. 6 and 7).

As the posts clear the recesses 11, which "have been acting as keepers, the parts assume the positions shown in Fig. 8 and also in Fig. 7. The curving surface of sides 12 force the locking elements away from the posts, thus pushing the clutch clear of the posts. As soon as the posts have thus slid clear of sides 12 and the upturned edges of the notches in the clutches, the clutches drop back to the positions shown in Figs. 1 and at and the cover is detached.

I believe the principles of this invention are very different from the binders of prior art, and I therefore do not wish myself to be limited to the exact details described and illustrated in this specification.

I claim:

1. A locking element for loose leaf binders comprising a post, a slide and a spring-actuated clutch mounted on said slide, there being notches in said clutch and slide adapted to receive and gri said post.

2. A loose leaf bin er comprising a back, posts mounted thereon, a cover, and locking means slidably mounted thereon consisting of a notched slide in combination with a notched clutch mounted on said slide.

3. A loose leaf binder comprising a back, posts mounted thereon, a cover, and locking means slidably mounted on said cover and consisting of a slide and a notched clutch on said slide, in combination with a spring mounted on said slide tending to hold said clutch against said slide.

4. A loose leaf binder comprising a back, posts mounted thereon, a cover, separate and self-contained notched locking means for each post slidably mounted thereon adapted to grip said posts when the latter are pushed into the notches.

5. A loose leaf binder comprising a back, posts mounted thereon, a cover, separate notched locking means for each post slidably mounted on said cover and adapted to grip said posts when the latter are pushed into the notches and to eject said posts when slid transversely to the notches.

6. A loose leaf binder having posts, and a cover with notches adapted to receive said posts in combination with separate and selfcontained locking means for each post on said cover having pivoted clutches and adapted to automatically open, receive, and engage said posts when said cover is pushed against said posts.

7. In a loose leaf binder, a cover, a post projecting therethrough and a locking element comprising means slidably mounted on said cover with relation to said post and a clutch mounted pivotally on said means and engaging said posts above said means.

8. In a loose leaf binder, a cover, a post projecting therethrough and a locking element comprising means slidably mounted on said cover with relation to said post, and a clutch mounted pivotally on said means adapted to receive and engage said post 511L355 HIT? above said means as said clutch is swung means adapted to look with said post at a down towards said sliding means. point above said means and to swing upward 9. In a loose leaf binder, a cover, a post and free of said post when said means are 10 projecting therethrough and a locking eleslid. 6 lnent comprising means siidably mounted In testimony whereof I have signed my on said cover with relation to said post and name to this specification. a jawed swinging clutch mounted on said EMORY A. TRUSSELL. 

